Posts Tagged: Master Gardener
Grow it: Gardening tips and resources
Gardening is fun…and it's an important activity. What we grow in school, home and community gardens can improve our health, and the health of our families and communities. What we grow can increase the resiliency of food systems in our communities. And what we grow, ultimately, can connect us more closely with the earth that sustains us. There are valuable lessons in gardening…too many to list here.
Even if you live in a small apartment, you can grow food. If you have a yard, you can grow quite a lot of food. View the transformation of a front yard in an urban area…from lawn to lush, productive food garden in only 60 days. You'll love the progression photos, and the simple explanation about how the garden came together.
Need more inspiration? Roger Doiron, founder of SeedMoney, talks about his (subversive) garden plot in this remarkable TedX talk. Roger created and led the social media campaign that called for a garden at the White House. This campaign ultimately led First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a vegetable garden at the White House. (And it may have also inspired the People's Garden at the USDA, which broke ground on Abraham Lincoln's birthday 10 years ago. Lincoln referred to the USDA as the “People's Department,” so it makes sense that the USDA would refer to its garden as the “People's Garden.”)
Need practical advice? The UC Master Gardener program has more than 5,000 certified volunteers ready to assist if you live in California. UC has also created a California Garden Web portal that provides a treasure trove of gardening resources for all parts of the state. It's not too early to begin planning your Fall garden, and you'll find information about that, too.
If you're interested in school gardens, read this brief history, written by UC ANR's UC Food Observer.
Happy gardening!
Consejos para preparar, plantar y cultivar un huerto otoñal
La transición hacia el otoño está a la vuelta de la esquina y los jardineros están ocupados atendiendo sus cosechas de fin del verano, podando las plantas perennes, preparándose para las plantas de crecimiento más lento y más. Pero el otoño no significa que hay que poner fin a la temporada de cultivo. De hecho, la vida sigue germinando y nuevas plantas crecen con la promesa del otoño, invierno y cosechas de principios de primavera.
¿Deseas unirte a la locura del jardín de la temporada de frío? El Programa Jardineros Maestros de UC cuenta con talleres interesantes para informar e inspirar en este otoño. Los residentes del área de la bahía pueden revisar los talleres Cultivo de ajos y cebollas (Growing Garlic and Onions) en San José o Las diez principales verduras para su huerto invernal (Top 10 Vegetables for your Winter Garden) en Campbell, ambos presentados por el Programa Jardineros Maestros del condado de Santa Clara. Otro gran recurso es Guardando la cosecha (Saving the Harvest), una guía para el jardín y preservar (alimentos) y un calendario del 2019 creado por los programas Jardineros Maestros y Maestros para Preservar Alimentos de UC del condado de Sacramento. Busca las ofertas locales en tu área en el sitio del Programa Jardineros Maestros de UC en UC Master Gardener Program event.
Donde sea que te encuentres en tu viaje de jardinero, te ofrecemos una lista de actividades para tu jardín durante el mes de septiembre:
A principios de septiembre
- Mantén tu huerto de temporada cálida con chequeos y cosechas regulares. Poda los nuevos brotes, flores o cualquier fruta pequeña o muy inmadura de las plantas de tomates, berenjenas o chiles. Esta práctica motiva a las plantas a poner su energía en la maduración de frutos que ya han cuajado.
- Cosecha y guarda semillas para el huerto de temporada cálida del próximo año. Para guardar y usar las semillas en el futuro, asegúrate de contar con un lugar seco y frio donde mantenerlas. No te olvides de etiquetar y organizar las semillas para facilitar la plantación durante la primavera.
- Retira y haz compost o estiércol con las plantas que han llegado al final natural de sus vidas y producción.
- Disfruta de la cosecha regular de bayas de vara de temporada tardía como las zarzamoras y moras. Revisa las parras con regularidad en busca de frutos maduros y recoléctalos antes de que los pájaros se los lleven.
- Revisa y cosecha también las plantas comestibles del paisaje. El guayabo del Brasil, Acca sellowiana, es un fantástico arbusto de paisaje que además produce una fruta tropical. Cuando los frutos del guayabo del Brasil caen al piso es porque ya están maduros, recógelos y lávalos, rebánalos y come la parte blanca de adentro (como comerías un kiwi).
A finales de septiembre
Es tiempo de empezar a plantar un huerto de temporada fría a fin de mes. Prueba cultivar rábanos y lechugas a finales de otoño. Se maduran rápidamente y son magníficos acompañantes de las verduras rostizadas, quesos y nueces para la ensalada de una cena con el tema de la cosecha. El brócoli y coliflor son una adición genial para tu cosecha de invierno. Prueba rostizándolos o preparando con ellos una sopa cremosa para una cena caliente en una noche fría. Finalmente, las cebollas y chalotas deben ser parte de tu huerto de temporada fría. Tardan en madurar y estarán listas para su recolección a principios de primavera para darle brillo a tus platillos y marcar el cambio de estaciones.
- Cultiva rábanos, nabos, betabeles, cebollas y col rizada, plantando semillas.
- Elije plántulas de brócoli, coliflor, repollo y lechugas en tu vivero local.
- Mantén la tierra humada mientras que las plántulas echan raíces en la tierra de tu huerto.
- De ser necesario, provéeles sombra a las verduras de temporada fría para protegerlas del sol caliente de la tarde.
Conéctate con nosotros
Los voluntarios de Jardineros Maestros de UC están listos para ayudarte con todas tus necesidades para el huerto. El Programa Jardineros Maestros de UC puede trabajar con los maestros y voluntarios comunitarios para proveerles información y consultas sobre jardinería en apoyo de huertos escolares. Con programas locales con base en más de 50 condados de todo California, de seguro encontrarás un taller o clase cerca de ti. Visita nuestro sitio Web para encontrar tu programa local de Jardineros Maestros, mg.ucanr.edu.
Tips to prepare, plant, and grow a fall vegetable garden
The transition of fall is upon us and gardeners are busy tending to late summer harvests, pruning back perennials, prepping for slower plant growth and more. But fall doesn't have to be all about wrapping up the growing season. In fact, life is sprouting and new garden plants are growing with the promise of fall, winter and early spring harvests.
Are you looking to join the cool-season gardening craze? The UC Master Gardener Program has engaging workshops to inform and inspire this fall. Bay Area residents can check out Growing Garlic and Onions in San Jose or Top 10 Vegetables for your Winter Garden in Campbell, both hosted by the UC Master Gardener Program of Santa Clara County. Another great resource is Saving the Harvest, a gardening and preserving guide and 2019 calendar created by the UC Master Gardener and UC Master Food Preserver Programs in Sacramento County. Check out the local offerings in your area at UC Master Gardener Program events.
Wherever you are in your gardening journey, here is a checklist of September activities for your garden:
Early September
- Maintain your warm-season garden with regular checks and harvesting. Prune new growth, flowers and any small or very immature fruits from tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. This practice encourages the plants to put energy into ripening fruit that has already set.
- Harvest and store seeds for next year's warm-season garden. To save and use seeds in the future, make sure you have a dry, cool location for seed storage. Don't forget to label and organize seeds to make preparation and planting easier in the spring.
- Remove and compost plants that have reached the natural end of lives or fruitfulness.
- Enjoy regular harvest of late-season-bearing cane berries like raspberries and blackberries. Check vines regularly for ripe fruit and pick before the birds steal away the fruit.
- Check and harvest edible landscape plants as well. Pineapple guava, Acca sellowiana, is a fantastic landscape shrub that has the added bonus of producing a tropical fruit. When pineapple guava fruit fall to the ground they are ripe, collect the fruits and wash, slice and eat the white fruit on the inside (like you would eat a kiwi).
Late September
By the end of the month it's time to start planting a cool-season garden. Try radishes and lettuces for harvest in late fall. They mature quickly and pair beautifully with roasted vegetables, cheese and nuts for a harvest-themed dinner salad. Broccoli and cauliflower are a great addition to your garden for winter harvest. Try roasting or making a creamy soup for a warm dinner on a cold night. Finally, onions and shallots are a must for your cool-season garden. They are slower to mature and will be ready for harvest in early spring to brighten your dishes and usher in a change in the seasons.
- Plant radishes, turnips, beets, onions and kale from seed.
- Pick up vegetable starts for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and lettuces at your local garden center.
- Keep soil moist while young plants send roots out into your garden bed.
- Provide shade to cool-season vegetables if needed to protect them from hot afternoon sun.
Connect with us
The UC Master Gardener volunteers are eager to help with all of your gardening needs. The UC Master Gardener Program can work with teachers and community volunteers to provide gardening information and consultation in the support of school gardens. With local programs based in more than 50 counties across California, there is sure to be a workshop or class near you. Visit our website to find your local UC Master Gardener Program, mg.ucanr.edu.
Missy Gable, Director of the UC Master Gardener Program shares tips for keeping a fall vegetable garden producing.
Go back-to-school with a garden
It's that time already when the kids start heading back to school and meals go back to a strict schedule. It can be easy to turn to take-out and other convenience foods to make meal times more manageable, especially during the rush of back-to-school. However, there's a long school year ahead and focusing on good habits now can set the tone for the next nine months. The old adage that “food is fuel” rings true - healthy choices help kids maintain a healthy weight, avoid health problems, manage energy levels, and sharpen their minds.
How can we reinforce healthy eating habits during the hustle and bustle of back-to-school?
School gardening offers children opportunities to get outdoors and exercise while teaching them a useful skill. Gardens containing fruits and vegetables can revise attitudes about particular foods; there is even a correlation between growing fruits and vegetables and consumption of these products. Gardens are likely to transform food attitudes and habits and in school gardens this can be especially impactful when combined with nutrition education.
In addition to health and nutrition benefits, gardening also offers hands-on experiences in a variety of core curriculum which includes natural and social sciences, language arts, nutrition and math. This can play a big part in supporting your kids' education outside of the classroom.
Benefits of school gardening:
- Physical health
- Social and emotional health
- Academic achievement
- School and community benefits
- Enhance nutritional preferences, and
- Increased self-esteem
Learn more with the UC Master Gardener Program
The UC Master Gardener Program is a community of volunteers across California, under the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, that extends research-based information on gardening to the public. If your school does not have a school garden program, contact the UC Master Gardener Program in your county to learn about the possibility of new school garden programming and other garden-education you and your children can participate in.
The UC Master Gardener Program can connect you with local community gardens, and or provide the information you need to get started with your own school or home garden. Many programs have relationships with local schools to support garden-based education.
“Dig it, Grow it, Eat it”
The UC Master Gardener Program in Marin County hosts a portable field trip for school-age youth called “Dig it, Grow it, Eat it.” This award-winning program emphasizes engagement and the many learning opportunities that take place in nature. Youth learn all about growing edible plants from seed to harvest and educators get the support of University-trained UC Master Gardener volunteers to deliver the curriculum.
Whether or not you already have a school garden program your family can engage in, reach out to the UC Master Gardener Program to get the help and information you need to inspire healthy eating and an active lifestyle in your children. Now is a great time to plan and plant your winter garden, just in time to get your kids back to school and excited to be learning … wherever that learning takes place!
The UC Master Gardener volunteers are eager to help with all of your gardening needs. The UC Master Gardener Program can work with teachers and community volunteers to provide gardening information and consultation in the support of school gardens. With local programs based in more than 50 counties across California, there is sure to be a workshop or class near you. Visit our website to find your local UC Master Gardener Program, mg.ucanr.edu.
Food waste is an ethical and environmental issue
Summer brings an abundance of luscious and healthy fruits and vegetables. It's easy to buy more than we can eat, which sometimes results in #foodwaste.
In a guest blog post for the UC Food Observer, UC researcher Wendi Gosliner (part of the team at UC ANR's Nutrition Policy Institute, a cutting-edge unit that's using research to transform public policy) shared this observation:
“Food waste presents a major challenge in the United States. Estimates suggest that up to 40% of the food produced nationally never gets consumed, causing substantial economic and environmental harms. Wasted food utilizes vast quantities of precious land, water and human resources, yet rather than nourishing people, it feeds landfills, producing methane gasses that poison the environment. Much of the food waste (43%) occurs at the household level."
What history can teach us
Here's my take on food waste. It goes back in part to lessons I've learned from studying World War I (WWI), when the American government set food conservation goals (along with goals for local food production via Liberty – later Victory – Gardens). I'm a big proponent of both reducing food waste and producing more food in communities via school, home and community gardens. Big point: the World War I poster included in this post has advice we'd be well served to heed today.
It's an iconic poster from World War 1. Food…don't waste it. The image is regularly shared on Twitter and Facebook.
Period piece or photoshopped image?
The original was produced in 1919 by the United States Food Administration, under the direction of the newly appointed food “czar” – Herbert Hoover.
The poster was reissued during World War II. It's been revised in recent years by individuals and organizations interested in encouraging an ethos incorporating local foods and sustainability.
While I'm the UC Food Observer, I also dabble in the history of wartime poster art. I'm often asked if this is a contemporary mock-up made to look and feel vintage.
It's not a mock-up. It's the real deal, produced 95 years ago, with messages we should embrace today.
The original poster: Yes: ‘buy local foods' is rule 4
The original poster has six rules that we'd be well served to follow today. The fourth rule – buy local foods – is somewhat of a surprise to people today, because the notion of buying local seems somewhat modern. But in WWI, the U.S. government encouraged the local production and consumption of food, in part, to free trains to more effectively ship troops and war matériel.
Tackling food waste through preservation: today's Master Food Preserver Program
Many land grant institutions, including the University of California, host master food preserver programs. These programs teach best practices on food safety and preservation to volunteers. The extensive training program prepares the volunteers to work in their community educating others on the safe practices of food preservation, including pickling, drying, freezing, canning and fruit preserves.
Thinking about gardening? Do we have resources for you!
The University of California sponsors the state's Master Gardener Program, which fields more than 5,000 volunteers in communities across the state. The Master Gardener Program is a national program, housed at the land grant institution in each state, but it's also connected to the USDA. Free gardening resources are available here. Advice to grow by…just ask.
Takeaway message?
Food waste is both an ethical and environmental issue. It should concern us that we waste nearly 40% of the food we produce and purchase in this food-abundant nation.
For an interesting comparative statistic, consider this: our nation produced about 40% of the fruits and vegetables we consumed on the American home front in World War II in school, home, community and workplace gardens. That was the result of the iconic Victory Garden program (which actually got its start in WW1).
Three messages then: participate in the national effort, commit to wasting less food, and if you can, produce some food of your own.
Notes: There are many additional resources about #foodwaste.
Connect: ReFED, a collaboration of nonprofit, government, business and foundation leaders, released a report in 2016 that identifies a number of potential solutions to the food waste challenge.
Read: Dana Gunders of the National Resource Defense Council authored a 2012 report called Wasted that sparked much of this work. Dana also authored a book called Waste Free Kitchen Handbook: A Guide to Eating Well and Saving Money by Wasting Less Food, both of which are great reads.
Read this piece about the relationships between food, farming and the environment (including food waste).
Eating what's on your plate is one of the best ways to tackle climate change. View this episode of Climate Lab, a six-part series produced by the University of California in partnership with Vox.